Testing of defibrillator electrodes

Abstract

Systems and methods for testing defibrillator electrode conductivity. Connection for electrically connecting electrodes and defibrillation signal generator connected to the electrodes. Patient impedance measurement system comprising patient signal generator and patient signal receiver. A defibrillator controller connected to defibrillation signal generator and patient impedance measurement system. An electrode test system with control signal device connected to the patient signal receiver which generates at least one control signal causing the patient signal receiver to change from a patient signal receive state to an electrode test signal receive state, a test commence signal device connected to the patient signal generator which generates at least one test commence signal causing the patient signal generator to send a test signal to the electrodes and an electrode test signal device connected to the patient signal receiver which receives an electrode test signal and processes the signal to determine a test result.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A defibrillator system comprising:
 a pair of electrodes, configured to be separate from one another but in direct electrical contact with a patient when in an electrode defibrillation condition for performing defibrillation of the patient, and configured to be electrically connected together while not in direct contact with the patient when in an electrode storage condition for storing the pair of electrodes prior to defibrillation; 
 a defibrillation signal generator, connected with the pair of electrodes, for providing a defibrillation shock at a controlled electrical defibrillation output value to a patient; 
 a controller device; and 
 a non-transitory memory having instructions stored which, when executed by the controller device, cause the controller device to perform operations comprising, when the pair of electrodes is in an electrode storage condition:
 setting a gain characteristic of an amplifier in the controller device at a first gain value to process signals for the performing of defibrillation of the patient; and 
 upon determining a test of the pair of electrodes should occur:
 modifying the gain characteristic of the amplifier to a second gain value which is distinct from the first gain value, wherein the second gain value is for processing signals while in the electrode test signal receive state; 
 sending an electrode integrity test signal to the pair of electrodes in the electrode storage condition; 
 processing the electrode integrity test signal result using the second gain value; and 
 when the electrode integrity test signal result indicates degradation of the pair of electrodes, issuing a warning, wherein the degradation is indicated by the electrode integrity test signal result having an impedance outside a threshold range. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The defibrillator system of  claim 1 , wherein an electrical integrity of the electrode integrity test signal result is representative of an electrical impedance value for the pair of electrodes. 
     
     
       3. The defibrillator system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electrode storage packaging for storage of the pair of electrodes comprising an electrically-insulative packaging liner having at least one or more apertures provided therein, 
 wherein each of the pair of electrodes comprises an electrode layer and at least one conductive gel surface disposed over the electrode layer; and 
 when the pair of electrodes are in the electrode storage condition, the pair of electrodes are disposed within the electrode storage packaging and each configured with the at least one conductive gel surface in proximity to one another, and the packaging liner is disposed between each of the at least one conductive gel surface to provide an electrical connection between the pair of electrodes. 
 
     
     
       4. The defibrillator system of  claim 1 , the non-transitory memory further including instructions stored which, when executed by the controller, result in operations comprising preventing a defibrillation shock from being sent by the defibrillation signal generator when the degradation of the electrical integrity of the pair of electrodes is indicated by the electrode integrity test signal result. 
     
     
       5. The defibrillator system of  claim 1 , wherein sending of the electrode integrity test signal, and the setting of the gain characteristic, occur periodically. 
     
     
       6. The defibrillator system of  claim 5 , wherein sending of the electrode integrity test signal occurs during power-up of the defibrillator system. 
     
     
       7. The defibrillator system of  claim 5 , wherein sending of the electrode integrity test signal occurs prior to delivery of a defibrillation shock to the patient. 
     
     
       8. The defibrillator system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a patient impedance measurement system, connected to the pair of electrodes, for measuring an electrical impedance of the patient when the pair of electrodes are in the electrode defibrillation condition, the patient impedance measurement system comprising:
 a patient signal generator for generating a patient impedance test signal to the pair of electrodes, and; 
 a patient signal receiver for receiving a patient impedance test signal result from the pair of electrodes; 
 
 a defibrillator controller connected to the defibrillator signal generator and patient impedance measurement system for controlling the electrical defibrillation output at a value based upon the patient impedance test signal result; and 
 the non-transitory memory further including additional instructions stored which, when executed by the controller, result in operations comprising:
 identifying, based on the electrical impedance, that the pair of electrodes are in the electrode defibrillation condition; and 
 subsequent to identifying that the pair of electrodes are in the electrode defibrillation condition:
 sending the patient impedance test signal to the pair of electrodes; 
 receiving the patient impedance test signal result in response to the patient impedance test signal, the patient impedance test signal result indicating an electrical impedance value of the patient; and 
 sending a defibrillation shock by the defibrillator signal generator, based upon the patient impedance test signal result, through the pair of electrodes to the patient. 
 
 
 
     
     
       9. The defibrillator system of  claim 8 , the patient signal receiver further comprising an amplifier coupled to the pair of electrodes and the defibrillator signal generator for modifying a gain characteristic based upon the patient impedance test signal result. 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 setting a gain characteristic of an amplifier at a first gain value to process signals for performing a defibrillation of a patient via a defibrillator; 
 modifying the gain characteristic of the amplifier to a second gain value for processing signals in an electrode test signal receive state, to yield a modified gain characteristic; 
 sending an electrode integrity test signal to the pair of electrodes to provide an electrode integrity test signal result based on a detected impedance value associated with an electrical integrity of the pair of electrodes; 
 processing an electrode integrity test signal result using the modified gain characteristic; and 
 when the electrode integrity test signal result indicates a degradation of the pair of electrodes, issuing a warning, wherein the degradation is indicated by the electrode integrity test signal result having an impedance outside a threshold range. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the electrode integrity test signal is sent periodically. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the electrode integrity test signal is sent during power-up of the defibrillator system. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the electrode integrity test signal is sent prior to delivery of a defibrillation shock to the patient. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising preventing a defibrillation shock from being sent by the defibrillator when the degradation of the pair of electrodes is indicated by the integrity test signal result. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 identifying, based on the electrical impedance, that the pair of electrodes are in an electrode defibrillation condition; and 
 subsequent to identifying that the pair of electrodes are in the electrode defibrillation condition:
 sending a patient impedance test signal to a patient for providing a patient impedance test signal which is indicative of an electrical impedance value of the patient; 
 receiving the patient impedance test signal in response to the impedance test signal; and 
 sending a defibrillation shock through the pair of electrodes to the patient, wherein a value of the defibrillation shock varies as a function of the value of the patient impedance test signal result. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , wherein an electrode storage condition comprises the pair of electrodes and an electrically-insulative packaging liner disposed therebetween, and wherein the electrically-insulative packaging liner further comprises at least one or more apertures provided therein to provide an electrical connection between the pair of electrodes. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the electrical connection provided between the pair of electrodes further comprises:
 (a) providing a conductive gel surface over an electrically-conductive portion of each of the pair of electrodes; and 
 (b) arranging the conductive gel surface for each of the pair of electrodes into direct contact with the electrically-insulative packaging liner disposed therebetween. 
 
     
     
       18. A method comprising:
 setting a gain characteristic of an amplifier in a defibrillator system to a first gain value for processing signals during performing of defibrillation of a patient; 
 when a pair of electrodes in the defibrillator system is in an electrode storage condition indicating that the pair of electrodes is not in direct contact with a patient: setting the gain characteristic of the amplifier in the defibrillator system to a second gain value for processing signals in an electrode test signal receive state; and 
 sending an electrode integrity test signal to the pair of electrodes to yield an electrode integrity test signal result; 
 processing the electrode integrity test signal result using the amplifier set at the second gain value, to yield a processed signal; and 
 when the processed signal indicates degradation of the pair of electrodes, issuing a warning, wherein the degradation is indicated by the electrode integrity test signal result having an impedance outside a threshold range.